The Patriots dynamic duo of tight ends will be without a key pillar in Sunday’s game against Buffalo.

Aaron Hernandez, the receiving tight end who has 165 yards on 14 catches with two touchdowns through two games, suffered a sprained MCL late in the fourth quarter of the win over the Chargers.

Tight end Aaron Hernandez is out of the Patriots' Sunday game as he nurses a sprained MCL. (AP Photo)

He will definitely miss Sunday’s game, but the timetable isn’t clear beyond that. It could be a one-week injury, it could be more.

Still, Hernandez did stay on the field for six additional plays after San Diego safety Bob Sanders’ helmet crashed into his knee, so perhaps it’s not serious.

Without the pass-catching threat, Rob Gronkowski may be counted on to be the lone tight end on the field. With 172 yards receiving and three scores, he can handle it.

And when it comes to replacing Hernandez, it’s possible the Pats won’t turn to a tight end. Instead, Hernandez’s role may be filled by Chad Ochocinco in what will function as a three-receiver positional grouping. Ochocinco had a promising Sunday, with two catches for 45 yards.

Notes: Safety Patrick Chung may have delivered one of his finest performances against the Chargers, even if he finished with just five tackles. Chung held tight end Antonio Gates to no catches, bumping him all over the field. Yet just as impressive was Chung breaking his hand midway through the game, leaving for the locker room, then returning with a cast to finish the game. That’s toughness.